How popular are RPGs today compared to the 80s?

[Henry]

The funny thing is, I can't say empirically if it's bigger now than then - but we the fans are DEFINITELY more networked than ever before, thanks to the Internet.

My own gaming group has over the past three years fluctuated from 4 to 13 people, currently at 6 to 8. Of these, 4 are new players (new since 2001). For us, it's definitely growing.

In terms of sales figures, I can't say. I know that the small company of TSR back in the early 80's was so flush with cash, there were nonsensical expenditures left and right (footing the bill on raising a sunken ship as a PR stunt, buying a sewing machine company, nepotistic payrolls, lots of people having company cars, etc.) So it was in the early 80's making TSR very, very rich.

 

[jasper]

If wotc would release firgures and since they bought TSR they should have those.
Number of PHB sold in 1980-1983
Number of DMG sold same time.

Number of phb sold in 2000-2003
number of dmg sold in 2000-2003

 

[WizarDru]

The funny thing is, I can't say empirically if it's bigger now than then - but we the fans are DEFINITELY more networked than ever before, thanks to the Internet.

Very true. D&D was ubiquitious back in 1980-1983 or so, when Basic D&D was out, and it was part of the popular zeitgeist. Especially since "The Hobbit" had been on TV in 1977, which helped kickstart many fans that I know. Many of the kids playing it, though, were the same type who were playing Pokemon a couple of years ago. They moved on fairly quickly.

So it was in the early 80's making TSR very, very rich.

I'd wager more actual players (as opposed to curious dabblers) are engaged in the game now, and many dabblers returned for nostalgia, and stayed for the fun. The market has changed dramatically since those days, and the business as a whole is more profitable overall, I'd wager, with the advent of newer printing and computer technologies (witness the PDF market, a large reason why Monte Cook has been successful).

Joining games, finding folks to discuss them and ordering products is certainly a thousand times easier than it used to be. Instead of trucking down to a hobby shop and hoping they have that I want or sending off a check to some unknown quantity, I can use paypal or an ecommerce site to get modules, molds, accesories, game books and a host of other materials.

All hail the Internet!

If wotc would release firgures and since they bought TSR they should have those.
Number of PHB sold in 1980-1983
Number of DMG sold same time.

Number of phb sold in 2000-2003
number of dmg sold in 2000-2003

I think you make the erroneous assumption that TSR even kept records that accurate, when annecdotal evidence points to the contrary. Especially after the scorched earth policy of she-who-must-not-be-named. You also have to factor in the change in value of the dollar and Basic D&D needs to be included in those numbers. I bought my Red Box set in 1980, but didn't get my AD&D books for a while after that, probably 1981. That said, I'm not sure why there should be any onus on WotC to release privleged financial information, anyhow. It doesn't much benefit them to do so, does it?

 

[Morrus]

This from Ryan Dancey:

the 3E PHB is outselling the historical volume of the 2E Player's Handbook by at least 2:1 over the same timeframe

Full article here: http://www.enworld.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=43&page=1

 

[Wombat]

I think there is a greater acceptance of rpgs now, as opposed to the '80s. Back then it was a game only for Geeks and even though a lot of people played around with it for a short time, the image still was "this is a game for socially maladjusted teenage boys who watch too much Star Trek".

Nowadays you can regularly find Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf, and even some games by other companies in pretty much every Borders, Barnes & Noble, and suchlike stores. While there is still a bit of a stigma attached to it, the stain is not so heavy. Most people still consider gaming a "phase" and people who play bridge and golf heavily still roll their eyes when they hear others talk about D&D, but the acceptance is a bit higher.

This means there must be more people playing.

Conversely, there are still far, far fewer people who play rpgs as opposed to computer and console games.

 

[diaglo]

T$R had books in the early 80's available in the mainstream book stores of the time.

i was a member of the Other Worlds Book club in association with Waldenbooks.

 

[johnsemlak]

T$R had books in the early 80's available in the mainstream book stores of the time.

i was a member of the Other Worlds Book club in association with Waldenbooks.

Is that not true now?

I see D&D in Barnes and Noble, Borders, etc (EDIT as was noted in Wombat's post; sorry, didn't see that). Seems as mainstream as ever.

 

[Storminator]

Our D&D group has halved in size over the last 10 years, but that might just be that we're getting older, more crotchity and less welcoming as the years go by. I hope not though

It feels to me like there are fewer players out there, but that might just be because we hang out at hobby stores less often these days.

I've got into regular ongoing campaigns with ~20 new people since 3E came out, and I game with about half my old friends via email. There's a lot of gaming going on these days...

It would be interesting to know how many people cross over to table top from Computer games - Baldur's Gate sold millions of copies, you've got to think there were a few converts there.

In the past 3 years I've started up 2 games with teenagers, and of those 12 teens, 3 were only playing because of Baldur's Gate, and all had played some kind CRPG before starting PnP games.

PS

 

[francisca]

T$R had books in the early 80's available in the mainstream book stores of the time.

i was a member of the Other Worlds Book club in association with Waldenbooks.

I bought my copies of the PHB, DMG, and MM for 1E from Toys'R'Us in Merrillville, IN in 1983, and they carried various TSR RPGs for a few years after that. And I clearly remember drooling over the D&D minis and other D&D stuff in the 1981 or 82 Sears Christmas catalog. That's about as mainstream retail as you can get.

I haven't seen any D&D stuff in the local Toys'R'Us, but it's a small one. But the mainstream bookstores are stocked with several D20 products, usually next to the graphic novels.

 

[Desdichado]

But what you don't see, and I did in the early 80s, was the books in department stores, for instance.

Also, we have the 1e books -- a fair amount -- in our local public library. Of course, we also have a subscription to Dragon there...